Posted by Bob Newman
Vet Visits
Taking the Trauma Out of Vet Visits
A trip to the vet doesn’t have to be traumatic. Here are some tips for making the experience more pleasant for everyone:
* Be calm and upbeat. Animals pick up on our thoughts. If you’re very stressed and anxious, your animal will be too.
* Help your pet relax. Calming products, like Pluto Pet’s Pet Calming Spray, may help relieve your animal’s fear, nervousness and aggression. Made from all-natural ingredients, it acts quickly, causes no side effects and meets all Food and Drug Administration guidelines for good manufacturing practices.
* Leave your cat’s carrier out all the time. Put a towel inside and sprinkle it with catnip. The cat will associate the carrier with a pleasant, private place to nap rather than a ride in the car. And if he doesn’t hear you getting the carrier out of a closet, he won’t have the opportunity to wedge himself under a bed.
* Get your animals used to riding in the car. Even a quick spin around the block will help your dog or cat associate riding in the car with a pleasant experience. Open the windows a bit and tune the radio to a classical music station. Classical music is soothing to animals. When you get home, reward your “traveler” with some treats. Never leave your animal alone in a locked car, even for a few minutes.
* Make sure your animal can tolerate being handled. Touch his feet and toes, open his mouth, look in his ears, and get him used to being touched on all parts of his body.
* Socialize your animals. Try to get your cat or dog accustomed to hearing, seeing and being touched by many different people. Even leaving a television or radio on for strictly indoor cats will help them get used to the sounds of different human voices.
* Lavish your pet with praise. During the vet visit and afterwards, reward your animal with praise for being calm and cooperative. Some treats on the ride home will make him think the whole experience was worthwhile.
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Posted by Bob Newman
So you’ve got a new cat, and she needs a checkup. On your first vet visit, your vet will take the lead and give you some basic information, and probably will go through a fairly standard routine.
Upwards of 90% of the information you need, however, will be based on the questions that you ask your vet. Somewhere, typically towards the end of the checkup, your vet will ask you if you have any questions.
Usually, by that time, your adrenaline has been pumping, and you’ve been overloaded. Your cat has been stressed and so have you… you are both ready to leave. Do not let this opportunity pass you by.
Take this time to take the lead, and ask your questions. What questions? Well, the ones that you’ll forget if you don’t already have them written down. Yes, write them down now.
Much of the information being distributed today on feline diet, health, and cat care in general is either fear based (e.g. raw meat diets, vaccination scares), or profit based (i.e. advertising). It’s important, therefore, to get your vet’s take on some of these issues.
Here is a list of issues that you can use to formulate your questions. This is by no means all inclusive, and you’ll probably have some specific ones of your own.
The important thing is that this will spark a dialogue between you and your vet that will help both of you to better care for your cat.
Here are some subjects to create your questions around…
Vaccination options: there are options for both type and schedule, and there are risks, so be sure to find out what your vet recommends for your cat.
Diet and nutrition: ask about commercial cat foods and brands as they are not all the same. What about alternatives like home made cat food, raw meat diets, and feeding table scraps?
Common cat owner mistakes: ask your vet which common mistakes to avoid.
Emergency procedures: find out what emergency procedures your vet has now, should you need it later.
Indoor or Outdoor: this is a big subject as it greatly affects your life, and the life span of your cat.
Cat litter and litter boxes: many choices can be narrowed to only a few by asking your vet for advice.
Common diseases and their signs: understanding what the common signs of disease are will help you detect problems in your cat early, and may save her life one day.
Use the above list to get started. As you write your questions, more will come to you. Write them down, even if the answers appear obvious. There is no question too small to ask your vet about the health of your cat.
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